Daniel Gajda

The influence of HIP on the homogeneity, Jc, Birr, Tc and Fp in MgB2 wires

Unreacted MgB2 wires were made at Hyper Tech Research, USA by a continuous tube forming and filling method using mixtures of Mg and B with and without SiC powder additions. All of the wires underwent hot isostatic pressure (HIP) treatment at the Institute of High Pressure. The first part of the wire was annealed at a pressure of 1 GPa, and the second part was annealed at 0.1 MPa. In this work, we show the influence of high pressure on critical current density (Jc), pinning force (Fp), critical temperature (Tc), irreversible magnetic fields (Birr) and the Fp scaling and microstructure of MgB2 wires. The results obtained indicate that after annealing at high pressure, the MgB2 wires show increases of Jc and Fp in high magnetic fields (8 T–12 T); in SiC doped MgB2 wires, Fpmax shifts to higher magnetic fields. We also compared the Jc of the doped and undoped MgB2 wires (without HIP and with HIP). The scanning electron microscope (SEM) results show that HIP increases the density of MgB2 material and improves its uniformity.

Hot isostatic pressing of multifilamentary MgB2 wires in solid state media for large scale application

Multifilamentary MgB2 wires were annealed under the high pressure of low-friction, solid state media such as BN and graphite powders. The idea was to replace the hot isostatic pressing in argon medium, which is beneficial to wires transport properties but is difficult for application on an industrial scale. The experimental results show that annealing in BN or graphite under 200 MPa leads to enhancement of the critical current, similar to that observed earlier for high pressure argon annealing. An unwanted effect of the process is the flattening of the round wires, which after the treatment yields an elliptical cross section with b to a ratio of around 85 ± 5%. Comparison of critical currents and microstructure of samples synthesized with different parameters are presented.

Superconducting Properties Comparison of SiC Doped Multifilamentary

Wires with 6 filaments of cores surrounded by a Nb barrier, and Cu, Monel and Glidcop sheath, drawn by Hyper Tech Inc. to diameters of 0.83 mm, have been treated in a Hot Isostatic Pressure process under high Ar pressures. The pressure of the HIP varied in different processes in order to find the optimal sintering conditions to obtain the highest at high magnetic fields. Also a stainless steel sheathed MgB2 wire has been used for comparison. The effect of sintering under high pressures on transport properties of those wires was measured by means of critical current and pinning forces Fp. The samples of 70 and 20 mm length were measured in parallel and perpendicular magnetic fields, respectively. High magnetic fields, of up to 14 T, were obtained in a Bitter magnet. The microstructure of annealed samples was investigated by SEM analysis.

{\rm MgB}_{2}

Unreacted MgB2 wires fabricated from SiC-doped precursor material by Hyper Tech Research, Inc. have been used to make small-diameter (14 mm) superconducting coils. All coils made of 500 mm length wires were subjected to hot isostatic pressure (HIP) treatment. The critical current density (Jc) parameters of coils were compared to straight samples characteristics. Both types of samples have been measured in perpendicular magnetic field configuration for Jc and pinning force density (Fp) evaluation. No significant Jc difference between the long wires on coils and straight wires was found. These results suggest that the critical current (Ic) for coils can be determined for straight samples (25 mm). SEM analysis indicated that a small diameter of the coil does not influence the structure of in situ MgB2 wire. (Some figures may appear in colour only in the online journal)

Wires of Various Sheaths (Cu, Monel, Glidcop) After High Pressure HIP Treatment

In this study we show that dominant point pinning mechanisms in SiC doped MgB2 wires can be obtained by annealing in high isostatic pressure. The results indicate that the point pinning centers increase the critical current density in medium and high magnetic fields, but not at low magnetic fields. In addition, our study shows that dominant pinning mechanism changes from point to surface type with increase of magnetic fields. An MgB2 wire heat treated in a high pressure of 1.4 GPa shows a high critical current density of 100 A mm−2 in 13 T at 4.2 K. Scanning electron microscope studies show that high isostatic pressure increases the density of the MgB2 material, eliminates voids, allows for small Si precipitates and homogeneous distribution of Si precipitates. Transport measurements E - B and E - I show that the MgB2 wires manufactured by Hyper Tech Research did not heat up after transition into a normal state. This is important for applications in coils.

Comparison of critical current density in SiC-doped in situ?MgB2 coils and straight wire samples processed by HIP

High field pinning centers in MgB2 doped with 2 at. % carbon under a low and a high hot isostatic pressures have been investigated by transport measurements. The field dependence of the transport critical current density was analyzed within the different pinning mechanisms: surface pinning, point pinning, and pinning due to spatial variation in the Ginzburg-Landau parameter (Δκ pinning). Research indicates that a pressure of 1 GPa allows similar pinning centers to Δκ pinning centers to be obtained. This pinning is very important, because it makes it possible to increase the critical current density in high magnetic fields at 20 K and 25 K. Our results indicate that the δTc and δl pinning mechanisms, which are due to a spatial variation in the critical temperature (Tc) and the mean free path, l, respectively, create dislocations. The high density of dislocations with inhomogeneous distribution in the structure of the superconducting material creates the δl pinning mechanism. The low density of dislocations...

Point pinning centers in SiC doped MgB2 wires after HIP

In this paper we present the results of critical current (I c) measurements of MgB2 wires made with two different set-ups of the four-point probe method: current sweep type—constant magnetic field and increasing current, and field sweep type—constant current and rapidly increasing magnetic field. Results from magnet field sweep type measurements can be interpreted by a new physical concept—a jump of the electric field in low magnetic fields. This physical concept can be correlated with damages in the Nb-barrier existing in the MgB2 wire and be employed as a detection scheme. The damage in Nb barrier reduces critical current density (J c) and complicates the study on critical temperature (T c), upper critical field (B c2), irreversible magnetic field (B irr), pinning force (F p), and pinning centers in superconducting MgB2 wires. Our proposed method to detect damages in Nb barrier would benefit efforts in development and applications of MgB2 wires.

Experimental research of high field pinning centers in 2% C doped MgB2 wires at 20 K and 25 K

MgB2 precursor wires were prepared using powder in tube technique by Institute of High Pressure PAS in Warsaw. All samples were annealed under isostatic pressure generated by liquid Argon in the range from 0.3 GPa to 1 GPa. In this paper, we show the effects of different processing routes, namely, cold drawing (CD), cold rolling (CR), hot isostatic pressure (HIP) and doping on critical current density (Jc), pinning force (Fp), irreversible magnetic-field (Birr), critical temperature (Tc), n value, and dominant pinning mechanism in MgB2/Fe wires with ex situ MgB2 barrier. The results show that medium pressures (∼0.35 GPa) lead to high Jc in low and medium magnetic fields (0 T – 9 T). On the other hand, higher pressures (∼1 GPa) lead to enhanced Jc in high magnetic fields (above 9 T). Transport measurements show that CD, CR, and HIP have small effects on Birr and Tc, but CD, CR, HIP, and doping enhance Jc and Fp in in situ MgB2 wires with ex situ MgB2 barrier. Transport measurements on in situ undoped MgB2 ...

The electric field jump—detection of damaged Nb barrier in MgB2 wires annealed under pressure

We evaluate the effects of high pressure during annealing on the structural and superconducting properties of Ag-doped FeSe bulks. The results obtained in this work indicate that the annealing at high pressure increases the critical temperature, upper critical field and irreversibility field due to the improved uniformity and grain connectivity.

The critical parameters in in-situ MgB2 wires and tapes with ex-situ MgB2 barrier after hot isostatic pressure, cold drawing, cold rolling and doping

We fabricated four superconducting racetrack coils wound by bare <italic>in situ</italic> MgB₂/Fe mono and multifilamentary wires produced in our laboratory by using the wind-and-react method. Transport measurements in self-field were performed in a liquid helium dewar. The magnetic field flux density <italic>B</italic> = 25 mT for <italic>I</italic> = 92 A was measured to verify how the current flowed inside the coil for one of the coils by means of a cryogenic axial Hall sensor placed into the central bore region of the coil. The coil with 36 turns wound by mono MgB₂/Fe wire of <italic>l</italic> = 24 m has a highest current-carrying capacity of more than 150 A at <italic>T</italic> = 4.2 K and self-field among the coils. The coils fabricated by multifilamentary wires have relatively low engineering critical current values of <italic>I</italic>_ce = 67 A for 18 + 1 and <italic>I</italic>_ce = 57 A for 4 + 5 superconducting/copper filament wires at <italic>T</italic> = 4.2 K in self-field. Our results form essential contribution toward determination of the possible use of low-cost MgB₂/Fe wires in low-field superconductor coil applications.